The purpose of this project is two-fold: first, to encourage students to make the reading of poetry a creative act; and, second, to help students appreciate particular literary devices in their functions as semaphores or interpretive signals. Those devices that are about the imagery of a poem (metaphor, simile, personification, description) can be thought of as magnifying glasses: we see most clearly that upon which the poet focuses our gaze. Similarly, those poetic devices that are about the sound of the poem (alliteration, consonance, enjambment, onomatopoeia, and repetition) can be thought of as volume buttons or amplifiers: we hear most clearly what the poet makes us listen to most attentively.

Students will learn about equality and the work of Martin Luther King Jr. Students will listen to the Dr. Seuss story Sneetches to get an understanding about being treated unfairly. Then students will compare and contrast Martin Luther King Jr and the Sneecthes. 

Help students discover the Civil Rights Movement with We Who Believe in Freedom: The Life and Times of Ella Baker by Dr. Lea E. Williams. This complementary teacher's guide to the book delves into the transformative era through the lens of Ella Baker's remarkable journey, igniting discussions on activism, equality, and justice. Designed to engage Middle & High School students, the plan incorporates dynamic standards-aligned activities fostering critical thinking and historical understanding.